The Journey to The Pride of River Crater
by Leopard The Warrior Of Africa
Summary: After losing the title of Alpha Lion, Makunga returns to the reserve to find that he is outcast to the banish part of the reserve. Meeting Zuba's eldest daughter, a young clumsy lioness named Shani, the animals soon hear of a territory of legend where the land is lush, where Shani hopes to raise her leopon son Chui in peace and Makunga hopes to rule the pride there. Makunga x Oc
1. The Journey Home

All ocs belong to me while everything else belongs to dream Works.

For those of you who are curious about this, I thought of probably introducing some of the family members of our dear Alex and also putting Makunga's misery to some of this. .

Leopard the Warrior of Africa

* * *

He couldn't believe any of this as he walked along a dirt path. It was all his for once. He had been the Alpha Lion, in control of the reserve at last! And then, Zuba and that…. Alakay had to be all heroic and let him get beaten up by an old lady over a handbag! He had just lost being alpha lion for good! The lion's pace soon turned into stomping. What did he do wrong so that he finally became alpha lion, but lost it before the day was through?

The mid-age lion shook his head, the bruises on his shoulder and back aching as he walked back to the waterhole. He was probably the laughing joke of his friends now because of all this. The black manned lion looked around, finally stopping. It was becoming dark now, and he was still far from the waterhole. He sighed, walking towards a near by tree and rock to rest. From the rock, he could see how much farther he had to go to get back to the waterhole. Hearing something behind him, the lion sighed as he remembered something, or rather_ someone _that he had met shortly after getting away from the old lady.

"Hey, Makunga! Wait up! You can't go on walking with bruises like that! And it's almost night! And we're going to need to rest!" a Striped Polecat yelled out, running towards him. Unlike other striped polecats, his main fur was a tanish yellow while his strips seemed to be more of a light pale than the usual white. Makunga nearly gagged on his companion's stench, which, also unlike the usual polecat, was always around him.

"Zorillo, can't you just keep your distance? You smell bad enough over there as is," he spat, judging how much farther it was back to the pride. Zorillo just smiled and hopped next to Makunga, checking out the scenery.

"Wow, nice view you've got up here. The waterhole, the sight of those rocks over there, just beautiful!" he said, kissing the air. Makunga rolled his lime eyes and sat down.

"I don't live up here, you idiot. I live in those rocks with the pride."

"Strange, never saw you when ever I visit here."

Makunga looked at his bright brown eyed companion. "You've been here?"

"Yeah, I've got a young lioness friend here. Babysit her cub time to time whenever she, her mother, and her father are all busy and that," he said, leaning his small, filthy paw against the lion's side. Makunga nearly gagged again at the polecat's stench. 'After a week with this guy, you'd think I'd get used to his smell,' he thought, lying down beneath the rock. Zorillo laid against the lion's back, smiling as he looked at the stars.

"So, Makunga, got a family here?"

The lion grunted his face away from Zorillo. "Oh come on, you lions are usually social! Come on, tell!" the smaller of the two said. The lion growled a warning to the smaller mammal, telling him to leave the subject alone. "Fine, ok, take your time. We can talk more in the morning."

'Five more miles, Makunga. Five more miles before you can finally get rid of this idiot,' the green-eyed lion thought before going to sleep. As he began to hear some hard rain falling on the top part of the rock. Since the area beneath the rock have only room for one, Zorillo ended up in the rain.

"Ow. Hey, um, Makunga, could you scoot over a bit?" the brown eyed male asked asked, the hard hitting his head hard. "Ow, Um, Makunga! Ow! Makunga! Oh come on, not even lions fall asleep that fast! Ow! Makunga!" Zorillo sighed and looked at Makunga's tail before grapping it and putting the tail tuff over his head while using his own tail to wrap around his body.

…

The next morning, Makunga woke up to find his tail on top of a wet Zorillo. The lion pulled his tail off of the stinky beast and stretch outside the den before walking off. Zorillo woke up soon, ran to catch up with Makunga and jumping onto his back. "So, Makunga. Will you answer my question now? About your family?"

"Leave the subject alone, Zorillo."

"Aw, come on! Tell me please!"

Makunga sighed, before looking at the striped polecat on his back. "I have a wife named Lillian and a son named Riau. Lillian and I, we... um... we tend to argue a lot, and my son and I, we just don't see many things eye to eye. I'm not sure if they've left me or not. I don't know," he said, thinking back to the argument he had with his son and wife after he had become alpha lion.

Zorillo looked at him pitifully. "I know how you feel. My mom always tried to kick me out of the house from the minute I could walk," he said, wiggling his toes. The two males continued the journey in silence, neither one speaking up until after about an hour. "So Makunga, what were you doing getting beaten by that old lady anyways?"

"Shut up, Zorillo."

"Ok, Mr. Grumpy-Elivsmane-Who-Got-Beaten-Up-By-An-Old-Lady."

Makunga kept walking, his mind back to his family. What did they think of him now? He had wanted to be the best, giving a bright future and all. He had wanted his son to be just like him, proud, strong, smart, all of that. Maybe he didn't deserve what he had? Makunga kept thinking on this as Zorillo kept talking on and on.

"And so when this wild cat girl showed up, I was like, 'Wow, there! Now that's the woman for a guy.' Know what I'm saying, Makunga?"

"Zorillo, do you ever just shut up?"

* * *

Me and Zorillo: Tell everyone that I'm on my way! New friends and new places to see! With blue skies ahead and a smile on my face, there's no place that I'd rather be! Everyone!

Makunga: SHUT UP!

*awkward silence*

Zorillo: On my way, On my way, On my way, On my way

Me: I would like to, read out my hand. I may see you, I may tell you to run

Zorillo: On my way, On my way,

Me: You what they say about the young

Makunga: *looks annoyed and looks at the readers* Just review before I eat these two.


	2. Banishment and Shani

All ocs belong to me while everything else belongs to dream Works.

For those of you who are curious about this, I thought of probably introducing some of the family members of our dear Alex and also putting Makunga's misery to some of this. .

Leopard the Warrior of Africa

* * *

Makunga kept walking, trying to ignore his growing hunger. This was his fifth day without anything that he could really call a meal. Sure Zorillo tried his best at getting food for the lion, but hunting away from a good water source like the waterhole was harsh. And despite his bruises and some scars looking no real wounds, they were enough for Makunga not able to hunt for himself. Not that his black mane was enough trouble in hunting.

At the sight of vultures while eating a mouse Zorillo got, Makunga's ears perked up. It usually meant there was some dead meat near by, and for him, a decent meal for once. "Stay here, Zorillo," he told the polecat, trotting towards the birds. Zorillo did so, hiding behind the tree at the sight of the birds.

…

Makunga soon got to where the vultures were to see a young brown lioness over a dead warthog. 'Mighty catch here in the reserve. Most warthogs never come to this part of it,' he thought, closing in on what he was planning to be his meal even if he had to steal it from this lioness. Sadly, he didn't go un-noticed.

The lioness looked at him and snarled, clearly defending her own food. Makunga then raised an eyebrow. If she was part of the pride, why isn't she with the other lionesses, and … why do her green eyes seem familiar? Heck, this was probably the first time he ever remembering seeing a lioness with green eyes. Makunga shook his head and growled back, circling around the lioness to get a good position on the dead prey. "Don't you dare think about it, Makunga," she said, baring her teeth.

His ears perked. "Oh, you know me? Because I don't think I quite remember meeting you, personally," he said, still circling around.

"We didn't. My father warned me about you though, and with good reason."

"Then surely your father has told you that all families get one prey each."

"Well, I have my own family, thank you very much!"

"Temper, young one."

"Hey, I hunted and killed this prey, fair and square! And if you even think that you'll get it-, Hey!"

Makunga finally got a good spot and charged, knocking the lioness off the warthog. The male chuckled as the female got back up. "Apparently, neither of your parents has ever taught you that when someone is to steal your prey and circles you, you have to turn with them," he said before grabbing his meal's neck to drag back to where Zorillo was. Suddenly, Makunga felt a push that was even to throw him off balance to before looking at the lioness trying to push him to the ground. "Pathetic. Looks like your parents didn't even teach you how to fight." He kicked the lioness's back leg and ran off with the warthog.

…

After he and Zorillo ate the warthog, Makunga walked on with a stuffed polecat on his back, a smile on both males faces.

"So, where did you get the warthog? You're too weak to hunt still," Zorillo asked, looking at the lion.

"Oh, I just chased the vultures away from it and dragged it," Makunga lied, not wanting to admit he stole it. Zorillo then hopped off of Makunga's back when the waterhole was some distance away.

"You think you can make it the rest of the way? I need to check in on a friend."

"I'll be ok. Thanks for the help."

"No problem, Makunga!"

Makunga rolled his eyes and walked towards the waterhole, all eyes soon turning towards him. The lion's eager expression soon turned into confusion as everyone backed away from him. All faces were turned to him, all mixed with anger, hatred, horror, but none with relief or happiness that he had come back alive. Makunga turned to some lionesses to see one backing away into the crowd with some cubs. He went back looking around; trying to figure out why no one was happy or relief that he was back.

Everything and everyone was silent. Silent enough that even the crawling of an ant could have been heard by anyone. All until someone came up with the Alpha lions.

Makunga looked to see Zuba and Florrie, to first notice that Florrie had gain a few pounds. 'Oh the jokes I can come up with that subject alone,' Makunga thought, trying not to blurt one out. "So, Zuba. How's it going?" he said, trying to lighten the mood. Zuba narrowed his eye brows and crossed his arms.

"What do you want now Makunga?"

The lion rolled his eyes. "Do you honestly think I come all the way from getting a beating out of an old lady, meet a polecat that smells worse enough five miles away, nearly starve for five days to try and beat you to become Alpha Lion? No, I just wanted to get back home," he said, looked at Zuba again. The alpha lion huffed, clearly not believing Makunga.

"You should have stayed there," he said, shocking Makunga. The pale lion blinked, trying to get what had just been said.

"Say what?"

"I heard me. I know you, Makunga. When you get fully healed up, you'll start challenging me for the title of Alpha Lion like you always do. And you've already showed just how much of an Alpha Lion you really could be when the waterhole dried up. And if Alakay and his friend Marty didn't went and found the dam that was holding up the water, everyone here would have died by either hunters, or by thirst!" Zuba said, looking like he was ready to kill Makunga right then and there. If looks could kill, the looks everyone was giving the bruised up lion would have burnt him up. Suddenly, a lioness went through the crowd and passed the alpha lions… and glared straight at Makunga. Makunga took a step back, recognizing the brown lioness he took the warthog from.

"You! You no good little selfish prey thief!" she yelled, charging at the lion. Makunga dodged, letting her run into one of the elephants. Makunga looked at her before recognizing her green eyes. They were just like Zu-… Makunga looked at Zuba then to the lioness, and then back. She was the exact female version of Zuba! Zuba stepped forward, his gaze now at the lioness in concern.

"Shani, what are you doing outside the den?" he asked as the female walked towards him. "And what's this about prey thief?"

"I… um…. I…" Shani looked down, not making eye contact with the alpha Lion. Florrie stepped forward, signaling to Zuba to let her do the talking.

"Shani, sweetie, please answer your father's question," she said, her blue eyes judging the younger lioness's face.

"I… was… um… I had hunted down a warthog…."

"WHAT!?"

"Zuba, calm down! And what Shani?"

"Makunga stole it…."

Makunga looked shocked through this whole thing. Was it just him, or did Florrie just say Zuba was this lioness's... Shani's… father? The lion didn't notice that all gazes were on him now as he looked back and forth from Shani to Zuba. Finally looking at Zuba, Makunga felt his eyes narrow at him. Why hadn't he taught her how to defend? How to fight? Why hadn't Shani been hunting with a group of lionesses? Why did he want her to be in the den? Hadn't Zuba taught his daughter ANYTHING about the way of life or her position as the daughter of an Alpha Lion? Failing to catch the words that were coming out of Zuba's mouth, Makunga shook his head and looked at Zuba again. "Say that again, Zuba? My thoughts were _elsewhere_ while you were talking," he said, hissing out the word 'elsewhere' to indicate of what he was starting to think.

"You. Are. Banished. For stealing prey, for near death of the reserve, and the point of betraying to the Alpha Title," Zuba said, his words coming out in short, angered breaths before turning to Shani. "And you, Shani, we will be discussing about you hunting when your not suppose to."

Makunga was left standing there, his lime green eyes widen at what Zuba just said. Banished? Him?

…

Makunga laid under a tree in the banished area of the reserve, looking to the waterhole. This was the closet thing to home he was going to get to… He already tried to see where his mate and son were… only to find that his son wanted nothing to do with him and his wife... or rather, ex-wife had left him. Makunga sighed, remembering Zorillo now. The polecat would be wondering why he had lied to him where the warthog had come from. Hearing pawsteps coming towards him, the lion sighed and looked up, expecting to see a disappointed Zorillo, but instead meet the two wide green eyes of the youngShani. Makunga sat up, giving her a questioning look.

"Let me guess, going to try and get revenge for me insulting Daddy's little girl?" he sneered, not looking at her. Shani stood next to him, looking at him carefully.

"No. I… I wanted to apologize, really. For making another ...crime mark I suppose my brother Alakay would say, against you," she said, her eyes trying to judge Makunga's expressions like her mother, but clearly failing at it. The lion sighed and laid down, his eyes shifting towards hers.

"Apology accepted. I guess."

The two soon were just there, sitting and laying in silence before Makunga spoke up.

"Pretty standard, don't you think?"

Shani looked at him, clearly not understanding the question. Makunga looked at her and sighed. "The warthog. Even for a lioness your age, isn't that a little bit… more of a beginner's target?"

"Well... it was my first try at a hunt..."

"What?!" Makunga stood up then, looking at her in disbelief. "You're telling me that you've never hunted before!?" Shani just nodded her head, looking away now. Makunga looked shocked at her. She never… Makunga sighed and looked the opposite way in anger. "What kind of father is Zuba!?" he yelled out, kicking the ground.

"It's not his fault."

"Yes it is! I mean, it's just three simple words only that would tell you why. HE'S. YOUR. FATHER. He's supposed to teach you stuff just as much as your mother. In fact, why didn't your mother teach you how to hunt!?" Makunga nearly yelled, not caring if the whole reserve heard him.

"Because I'm a runt!" Shani said, looking straight at him in the eye. Makunga just looked at her in return. He nearly blinked just looking at her eyes. They were full of shame, sadness, and also a lack of innocence as they filled up with tears. "Even if I'm the oldest, I'm still a runt. That's why Alakay was chosen as the Dad's heir. Mama and Baba thought that I was going to die because I was so weak as a baby! As a cub! As a teen! Even now as an adult! Every time I get sick, they do everything to keep me in the den. Every friend that I ever had as a cub had been related to me!" She said, starting to sob and she finally broke the eye contact. Makunga blinked in shock.

"And why are you telling me when we just meant?"

"Cause you're the only one right now, and I can't find Zorillo anywhere," she said, trying to hold back her sobs. Makunga looked shocked at her again before thinking.

"I'm guessing he's your friend?"

"Yes."

"You have a son, don't you?"

Shani looked back up at him. "How did you-?" she began to ask as Makunga ran a paw through his mane.

"He told me that he had a friend here who has a son he babysits," he said, sitting down against the tree again. Shani sat back down as well, besides Makunga. Makunga closed his eyes for a moment before looking at Shani again. "Wait, if your parents still thought you were weak while you were growing up even after Alakay was taken by hunters, who was to be the heir while Alakay was gone?" he asked, thinking about what Shani had said about being the runt.

"Originally Maluuni, but she got taken some weeks after Alakay and she really can't fight like other lions or lionesses because she has no claws, so…. Cousin Chaka… before he got killed three weeks before Alakay came back… and then… Maluuni came back here two days ago," she answered, sighing as she fiddled with a stick. Makunga rubbed the back of his head, trying to remember Maluuni as a cub.

'Right… that clawless daughter with the back stripe,' he thought before looking at Shani for some reason. Makunga noticed that she had a medium tuff on her forehead, while having dark gray rims on her black tipped ears. The way she was fiddling with the twig was a bit… clumsy, but it seemed a bit cute the way she had her eyes half closed. Makunga stopped himself as he noticed that his gaze began to go to Shani's nimble shoulders just as Shani looked up at him. "So… um… mind to tell me about your son?" he asked, looking away and hoping she hadn't noticed that he had been...watching her.

"His name is Chui. I guess you could say he's a bit of a mini me. The only difference is the spots really…"

"Spots?"

"I… His father was a leopard. I was much younger than, and…," Shani sighed at the memory, tears coming into her eyes. "I'm guessing he thought he could be a leader if he married me probably, but he found out that it didn't work that way. He left me was I was still pregnant, and I later gave birth to Chui, who, like me, was born a runt." Makunga looked at Shani as she gazed out onto the plains. "I really wouldn't have trade anything in the world if it meant I couldn't be Chui's mother. But darn it, I just wish that I could raise him in peace, you know?"

"That's natural. To always protect your cubs. As his mother, you would want that," the male lion of the two said, flicking his tail as he placed his arms around the back of his head.

"Yes, but most of the pride doesn't approve the fact he's a leopon. And I don't want him stuck in a den all day like I did. I want him to be able to explore everything that I never got to," she explained, looking to where the pride was. Makunga looked to where she was gazing a noticed the alpha den. 'Probably where Chui is right now,' he thought, looking back at Shani.

"If you want, I could babysit him when Zorillo's not around," he said, looking at the sky. Shani looked at him, a slight distrust.

"Two weeks, and then we'll see."

"Deal."

…

The next day, Makunga found Zorillo sleeping next to him and stretched out to wait for Shani to come with Chui. When the polecat woke up, he went to find mice, since Makunga still had bad bruises. When he came back, both shared four mice, which Makunga had to give Zorillo some credit. For a striped polecat, he was a good hunter.

"So, Makunga, you met Shani?"

"Yep."

"You like her?"

"I guess."

"Like, like her, like her?"

Makunga looked at Zorillo.

"What?"

"Never mind."

Makunga looked at him awkwardly before scooting away from the polecat.

Later that afternoon, during the hottest part of the day, Shani came with Chui in her mouth while Makunga was helping Zorillo dig up a hole with water. Makunga looked up, and had to admit that Chui looked like a mini male cub version of Shani… with leopard spots. When Chui was put down, the cub ran immediately to Makunga before he began to ask the lion all kinds of questions (one of them being where babies come from, which Makunga said that he wasn't quiet old enough to know yet).

Makunga patted the cub's head. "Curious little one, aren't you?" he asked as Chui looked at Makunga's mane. Chui smiled and tried to play with the lion's mane, which to Shani's and Zorillo's surprise, didn't bother Makunga at all for some reason.

"Can I grow a big mane, like you, Makunga?" Chui asked, almost hidden in a part of Makunga's mane as he rested on Makunga's back.

"Mmmmm, maybe," the older lion said, not really sure if leopons grew manes at all, even though Chui had a black mane tuff. The cub soon looked at Makunga with his green eyes.

As Makunga spent time with Chui, Shani and Zorillo kept an eye on them so that Makunga didn't do anything wrong with Chui. Shani couldn't help but smile as she watched her son bond with the older lion. Looking at Zorillo, the lioness noticed that the polecat was looking at the two with a strange smile. "Zorillo?" she asked, catching her friend's attention.

"Yes, Shani?"

"What are you up to?"

Zorillo smiled and looked at Makunga and Chui. "Looks are close enough to be father and son, hmm?" Shani raised an eyebrow before looking at Makunga and Chui again. Zorillo did have a point. Even with spots, with the almost same eye color and the black tail tuff and manes, or mane tuff in Chui's case, one would think Makunga was Chui's father instead of a leopard, even though the spots would need to be explained. Shani looked at Zorillo again. 'What is this crazy polecat really trying to get at now?' she thought.

* * *

Me: Gods, that was the longest chapter I've ever wrote. That's it, not going to do a chapter that takes up eight pages on Microsoft Word. Just to the limit of seven.

Zorillo: *is singing* Chui and Makunga, son and father! Chui and Makunga, son and father!

Everyone: ZORILLO!

Zorillo: *chuckles* Review everyone!


	3. Sometime together and ending lies

I only own the OCS, everything else belongs to DreamWorks!

Leopard the Warrior of Africa

* * *

As Makunga had promised he had waited and spent time with Chui with Shani keeping an eye on them for about two weeks. During that time, Shani brought left over meat from her family's meals to Makunga and Zorillo.

"So, do your parents and siblings ever ask what you're doing with the meat?" Makunga asked one day, after Shani brought leftovers of an antelope.

"Yes, but I just tell them I'm bringing them to Zorillo and say that he's the one who's injured," the lioness replied, giving Chui a bath. Makunga chuckled as he watched the cub squirm in his mother's grip.

"Kunga! Make Mama stop! I don't want a bath!" the cub said, struggling against his mother. Zorillo ate his part of the antelope and laughed at how Chui was trying to stop Shani from grooming his mane tuff. Shani finally let Chui go, who went directly to Makunga. "I hate baths."

The older male laughed. "You'll get use to it, Chui. I hated baths at your age as well." Chui smiled at Makunga and then at his mother. Shani smile at the two males and began to groom Makunga. His lime green eyes widen at this before pulling away. "Shani... what... what… are... are you doing?" he asked, looking shocked at Shani's actions. The brown lioness raised an eyebrow at Makunga.

"I don't think you'll like your food around your face, messy eater."

"Don't you even think of going mother-stuff on me, Shani. I'm a grown lion."

"Can I have a bath then?"

"Of course, Zorillo."

"Yes! I love baths!"

Makunga looked at Zorillo as he hopped into Shani's grip to be bathed with a confused look before looking at Shani again. It wasn't actually the fact that he didn't like or want Shani going mother-like on him, it was the fact that usually the lionesses grooms their cubs and mates before and after a meal. Makunga shook his head and looked down to see Chui playing with his tail. He couldn't help but chuckle at some irony in how the cub had some strange resemblance to himself.

Somewhere else in the reserve…

Alex gathered his brothers and younger sisters up with Rosalina. Kerneels, Asita, Deka, and Wema had wanted to go to the waterhole, and Ayo had wanted to play with the hippos. Shani had offered to stay behind with Chui in the den, letting the two other lions take the younger teens and cubs to the waterhole.

Alex looked at the orange reddish brown highlighted lioness. He hadn't been able to really talk to Rosa by her birth name after their father had told all of them that Kerneels would be next in line.

Rosa looked at Kerneels with her eyes filled with envy. Why couldn't she be a leader? Just because she was born with no claws, looked like their grandfather scar and step grandmother Zira, and used human weapons to defend herself? Rosa looked away to see the hippos Ayo wanted to play with, her head still trying to figure out why she was outcast by her own pride. Was she really that odd and different? Was that why she was named that cursed name from the start? It was hard enough for the second eldest daughter of the alphas to handle any burdens like these, to know that her very birth name said it all. Maluuni. Outcast.

Wema looked at Rosa as well. She couldn't understand it as well, but maybe it was because she was still so young. Unlike Rosa, and most of her other siblings, Wema looked the most like Florrie, the only difference was her violet eyes. Her siblings Kerneels and Shani had been Zuba-look-a-likes, with the only difference that Shani was female, and Kerneels had blue eyes, while Alex, Asita, and Ayo were more mixed versions of their parents, Asita growing a black mane, Ayo being more brownish, and Alex having a more pure golden muzzle and belly color. With Deka, she took more after their grandfather Jua from their mother's side, with only her father's green eyes. And Rosa… she had been the most unfortunate to have taken after her grandfather Scar in looks.

'And maybe she's starting to have his personality,' the cub thought, looking at the young lioness. Wema had noticed how her sister had been acting lately, usually glaring at Kerneels every now and then, and also starting to keep away from most of the pride. The violet-eyed cub looked over to her brothers to see Asita and Kerneels play-fighting again.

Ayo sat on Gloria's back, watching the fish swim by. "Why do hippos like water?"

Gloria smiled at him before continue swimming. "I don't know, we just do," she answered smiling as she kept swimming. Ayo looked at his older brother and sister with a worried glance.

"Gloria?"

"Yes Ayo?"

"Do you think Rosa is being mistreated by the pride?"

Gloria stopped for a moment, wadding the middle of the waterhole. She knew that Rosa had wanted to be the next Alpha Lioness, ready to lead her pride into the future. But, like other animals in the reserve, she had been worried of the lioness's mind. "I'm afraid I'm not sure how to answer that, Ayo," she said to the cub, looking at Rosa as well. She noticed her glaring at Kerneels in envy again, making the hippo sigh. "I'm actually starting to fear she's also becoming what most of the reserve is treating her," she said, heading towards shore. Ayo looked at Gloria with his sapphire eyes, his ears perked at what she had said. "You mean, Rosa might start acting like Grandpa Scar?"

Gloria froze for a moment, remembering what she had heard from all the herds that had once lived in the Pridelands. "I'm starting to think so."

…

Makunga watched as Shani play with Chui, smiling as he took notice of how close she was with her son. Zorillo kept digging the hole he and Makunga were busy digging before noticing that Makunga had stopped.

"Makunga? Are you ok? Hello? Makunga?" the polecat asked, waving his paws to get the lion's attention. Zorillo looked at his new lion friend and then to Shani and Chui before smiling. "I'll just let you watch on, lover-boy," he said, going back to digging.

Makunga glared at Zorillo there. "Excuse me?" Zorillo looked up at him with a smile. "I am not in love with Shani, Zorillo."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are, lover boy!"

"You two do know we can hear you, right?" Shani said, rolling her eyes at the males. Both looked at her, Makunga's eyes widen and Zorillo smiling sheepishly. Chui giggled as he saw Makunga walk away. Shani raised an eyebrow at the lion, curiosity getting the best of her. "Zorillo, can you watch Chui for a moment? I need to ask Makunga something."

"Sure thing, Shan!"

The lioness ran after the older lion, stopping when he began to dig for water again. "So, care to tell me what's making you blush at any of these topics?" Makunga looked at her, before looking away. Shani could have sworn that he had looked at her blamefully.

"Look, let's just leave the subject alone, ok?" He said, continuing to dig for water. Shani's rimmed ears went back, her emerald eyes studying Makunga for a moment.

"Ok then, but can I ask you of something?" she said, getting in front of him. Makunga glanced up at her, raising an eyebrow to show he was listening. "Once you get better, could you show me how to truly hunt and how to defend it if someone else tries to take it?" Makunga thought for a moment. "It could help me make sure I can feed Chui on my own," she added, trying to look as pitiful as she could towards Makunga. The male lion looked at her before smiling.

"You're blackmailing me, aren't you?"

"...Maybe."

"Ok then. I can never say no to a lioness that is able to blackmail me."

Shani looked surprised at Makunga. Say what now? She looked at him with her ears perked before feeling a bump against her leg. Shani looked down to see a dik-dik shaking his head from bumping into her. Makunga also looked up and raised an eyebrow at the small mammal before recognizing him. "What are you doing here, Shirley?"

"I'm Bobby!"

Shani rolled her eyes at the two males. Bobby stood up and shook the dust off his coat. "And I'm here, because I wanted to tell Alpha Lion Zuba a place off the reserve." Shani's ears perk up and she stopped Bobby before he could walk away.

"Can you tell us about it?" she asked, her eyes gleaming in interest. Bobby looked at her in awe before bowing down.

"It is a crater, with plenty of food and water, the herds are abundant, and the pride is very friendly and has many hybrids in their mist. There's a waterfall that leads to a river that runs through it, which leads to a waterhole at the other end of it, your highness," he said, standing up before Shani and then looking between Makunga and Shani in confusion. "Wait, why are you two together here?

Makunga blushed at the word "together" and looked away before going back to digging for water. Shani looked away for a moment and then back at bobby. "I have my own punishment for Makunga, and… I wanted to make sure he knew all the limits in it." The nod from Bobby meant he took the lie before running off to tell Zuba of the crater. Shani thought for a moment and then looked at Makunga. "How soon will you be healed up enough," she asked with a small gleam in her eyes. Makunga looked at her questionably.

"Zorillo says about three more days, why?"

"Bobby said that the pride there was friendly and had hybrids. That could finally be my chance to raise Chui in peace without him being teased," she answered, a smile on her face. Makunga thought of Shani's reason and looked back to where Chui and Zorillo were by the tree. A thought soon came into his mind. Maybe... just maybe… he could take over the pride there in the crater. A smile soon came onto his face before facing Shani.

"If it's for Chui, then yes," he lied. Shani smiled and hugged him before running to get her son. Makunga was left there blushing. 'She… hugged… me… Shani, the most motherly, clumsy, curious, beautiful… wait… did I just think she's beautiful?' he thought before shaking his head. 'No… I won't let her distract me in my new quest to rule this pride in the crater. I won't… I can't…..'

* * *

Marty: …. Wow, Makunga's still kind of a jerk here. He just pretended to go with Shani's reason. Jerk.

Bobby: what's with the part at the waterhole?

Me: It just felt right.

Bobby: ok…. I like to part with Rosalina.

Me: I needed something to explain about Rosa in a way.

Melman: so….. are you also going to put Marty/Rosa in this?

Me: this is after Rosa got dumped by Makunga's son, Riau.

Marty: yeah…

Me: don't worry, there are still a few hints and Rosa wants to kill you Marty.

Marty: Gee, thanks a lot there.

Me: *smiles evilly* Please review everyone, or else I'll let Rosa kill Marty!

Marty: WHAT!?


	4. No Going Back

I only own the ocs! Everything else belongs to DreamWorks!

Leopard the Warrior of Africa

* * *

Chui ate some of his breakfast while Shani just moved hers aside. Zuba raised an eyebrow at his eldest daughter's behavior. She's been acting strange for the past week, and it was starting to bug the Alpha Lion.

"Shani? Is everything alright?" Florrie asked, also taking noticed of the brown lioness's actions. Shani looked up to and looked back down at the meal.

"Just not hungry, Mama," she said quietly, looking slightly to the entrance of the den. 'What I wouldn't do to go and learn more from Makunga…,' she thought, sighing at the thought of her lessons. After some silence between the entire family, the eldest child decided to say her decision to them, not wanting to hide that part of her plans any longer.

"I'm going to the Crater Pride."

Alex spat out his water, causing Rosalina in be drenched in it. Florrie's jaw drop, while Deka and Wema stared at their oldest sister. Kerneels and Asita looked at each other while Ayo looked at everyone. Zuba stood up, towering over Shani.

"No, you are not going," he said, the tone of his voice making Shani wanting to back down. She stood her ground though, not wanting to give in.

"Yes, I am. I'll be able to raise Chui there with out any other cubs teasing him. The Crater Pride has hybrids in it, so he won't be the only one,' she said, crossing her arms. Zuba glared at her, making Alex and Ayo shrink back.

"You are not going. You are staying in this reserve, Shani."

"And what, may I ask, Baba, is a reason I should stay here!? You can't keep me in the den forever, and even if you do, I'm not raising my son the same way! So tell me, what, in all of the things that I know of, will keep me here?"

Zuba and Florrie looked at each other before looking at Shani with wide eyes. Florrie sighed and looked at her daughter.

"We were planning on telling you sometime later, but since you've asked… your father and I have picked out a mate for you," the golden lioness said, her blue eyes looking at Shani's green ones. Rosa looked at her parents and then at Shani.

"What do you mean you've picked out a mate for Shani?" the reddish orange brown lioness said, now standing up. Shani just looked in shock before making Rosa sit down, her green eyes looking at her mother in disbelief.

"We agree with you on one thing, Shani. We can't have you in the den forever, and… well... we also thought that Chui should have a father figure at his age. Your father and I picked out a husband for you," Florrie said, closing her eyes. Alex looked at his mother, opening his mouth to say something, but quickly closed it at the look his father gave him.

Chui looked at his grandmother in confusion. "But… I'm alright with Mama! I don't want her to marry some random dude because I don't have a baba!" the cub said, thinking that it was his fault. Shani held her son in her arms, keeping him close to her.

"Shh, shh, shh. No, no, no Chui, no, it's not because you don't have a baba…" she said to him, one of her paws running through his mane tuff. Shani looked back up at her parents, her eyes now full of betrayal. Zuba looked down at his meal before talking.

"He's a nice lion, Shani. One of the best fighters this pride has, and he's very independent. You'll get along with Jasiri just fine. And yes, you'll be able to get to know him before the marriage."

Alex stood up, finally speaking. "Look, this isn't really fair on Shani's part. She barely knows him already, and if she wants to raise Chui on her own, she can. I mean… it's her decision," he began.

"Alakay, stay out of this."

"I'll shut up now."

Shani glared at her father before shaking her head. "No…"

Florrie reached over to her daughter, trying to comfort her. "Shani, it'll be alright. You'll fall in love with Jasiri in time," she said, trying to put on a smile. Shani kept shaking her head, the look of horror on her face as she stood up and moved away from her parents.

"No, no, no, no, no!" she kept saying, looking at both of them, Chui still in her arms.

Zuba stepped forward, placing his paws up. "Shani…"

"No! I won't go through with it!" she finally yelled, running out of the den with her son still in her arms, away from the rest of her family. To the only place she now felt safe for the moment. To the banished area.

Meanwhile…

Makunga looked at the waterhole from his and Zorillo's tree. They had finally finished up an underground den for themselves, and dug up enough water to last a few weeks for them before they would head out for the crater with Shani and Chui.

'Shani...," he thought, his mind going back to the young lioness for who knows how many times that week. She was still learning hunting from him, but Makunga had to give her credit for being determined. And Chui…Makunga couldn't be more proud of such a cub. It was as if he was starting a family all over again when ever he thought to the tiny cub. The lion rubbed the back of his neck as he sighed. He was getting too distracted by those two, and Zorillo wasn't helping. The polecat would always try to point out all the good things of Shani, which even though he would never admit it, Makunga agreed with all of them. And with Chui, Zorillo would try to bring the cub and lion closer together, making them seem more like father and son.

Makunga sighed and laid his head back against the tree. It just wasn't right even if a relationship could happen between Shani and him. He was old enough to be her father, and he was probably too old to give Shani anymore cubs if she wanted more…

He ran a paw through his mane. He needed to focus on how to win the crater pride over so that he himself would be Alpha lion there… and maybe then have Shani as his Alpha lioness and Chui as the heir…. Wait, focus! Focus! Focus!

"Hey, Makunga! Thinking about your new lady friend?" Zorillo said, popping out from the den.

"SHUT UP!" he yelled, covering his ears.

"Makunga! Zorillo!" a familiar voice yelled out, causing both males to look and see Shani and Chui. The cub stretched out his arms from his mother's grasp towards them, a big smile on his face.

"Kunga! Rillo!"

Shani stopped just in front of them, looking at them, panting from running. Makunga looked at her in shock, seeing tears running down her face. "Shani? What's wrong? Did someone hurt you? Did they hurt Chui?" he asked, placing a paw on her shoulders.

Shani whimpered and sniffed. "My parents put me in an arranged marriage with Jasiri…"

"Well, he is a nice guy, isn't he?" Zorillo said, looking at the lioness with a smile. Makunga slapped the polecat on the head and looked at Shani.

"I told them that I was going to raise Chui in the Carter Pride but….." the lioness trailed off, more tears going down her cheeks. Makunga looked at her in shock and looked down in thought. He knew what this was like… it was how he ended up marrying Lillian… Makunga looked back up at Shani, seeing the panic in her eyes. No… he won't let Shani go through the same thing he did.

"We'll leave as soon as we can. I'll store up on the prey we'll need for the journey, while you and Chui stay here. Zorillo, you keep an eye on them and make sure no one else goes near the den," he said. Shani smiled, despite her tears and hugged him before taking Chui into the den. Zorillo gave a salute and began pacing at the entrance of the den. Makunga went off to hunt, knowing that the best time to leave now would be in the evening.

Later that night…

Chui sat on Shani's back, watching as the reserve waterhole got farther and farther away. The cub looked back at the adult male lion, his mother, and the polecat. The edge of the reserve was getting closer, a somewhat path being guarded by high rocks from hunters easily seen. The cub couldn't help but look confused as he looked back to where the distance waterhole was.

The traveling group stopped just in front of the rock guarded path, as if they all were deciding if it was the right idea. Zorillo gulped and held onto the prey on Makunga's back as the male lion studied the path. The ground was hard enough that no track would be left, yet clear enough that an elephant could walk through it. Shani on the other hand looked at her son, wondering if it was right for him. Chui's green eyes, being emerald glowing in the night, shined at his mother. Shani looked back at the path and took a deep breath in and stepped onto the path, Makunga soon following her with Zorillo on his back. Chui looked back to the waterhole one last time and waved good-bye.

There was now no going back for the four of them.

* * *

Julien: oh… I got the heebie-jeebies at that last part. Oh, that is creepy.

Me: yeah….. *shivers*

Marty: and so… the journey begins.

Mort: *is singing* Tell everyone that I'm on my way! New friends and new places to see! With blue skies ahead and a smile on my face, there's no place that I'd rather be!

Everyone: *stares at Mort* …

Mort: oh, sorry, that was the wrong song. I mean, *starts singing* Shadowland… the leaves have fallen, Shadowland….. It was our home….. But the river's now dry, the ground has broken. So I must goooooooooooo, now I must gooooooooooo. And where the journey, may lead me…

Me: *looks to the readers* Review please before I start drowning Mort with my tears.


	5. On The Road Again

I only own the OCS! Everything else belong to DreamWorks!

Leopard the Warrior of Africa

* * *

Zuba walked through the pride, looking for a certain lion through it all. He had looked through the entire reserve with his eldest son and wife for Shani and Chui. He had even check the banished part of the reserve to hear from one of the dik-diks that Makunga and the polecat named Zorillo had went with them. Now, knowing where his eldest daughter would have gone now, he knew that he had to send someone after his daughter and grandson... and get them away from Makunga.

The black-manned lion looked through the crowd, his green eyes looking a certain male lion. The Alpha Lion finally saw him, a pale golden lion with a huge orange brown mane.

"Jasiri! I need your assistance!" Zuba called out, quickly running to the younger male. Jasiri looked up at him with his red eyes.

"Yes, Zuba, sir?" he said, standing up from the rock he was on.

"It's Shani and Chui. They went with Makunga to the River Crater. I need you to track and follow them. Then bring them back," Zuba said, trying not to think of what Makunga was doing to his daughter.

Jasiri's eyes widen as he stood in front of the alpha. "You mean…?"

"Yes. I have no idea how far the crater is and I still need to train Kerneels."

"I'll get on the tracks straight away, sire."

Zuba nodded and went off, leaving Jasiri to go to where the missing lions went.

Elsewhere…

Makunga woke up and yawned as he looked around. The group was in a cave they found along the way in the middle of the night and decided to rest for a bit before moving on last night. Makunga looked to see Zorillo and Chui eating while Shani was looking out of the den. Getting up, the male lion stood beside the lioness before she spoke.

"I asked out of the birds around here this morning, and they say the crater's a week away from this cave. We have enough food for two weeks, so if we travel with rest here and there, day and night, we should get there a bit sooner at least," she said, looking at him with her emerald eyes. Makunga looked at her and then to outside the den.

"At least we know how long it'll be," he said before looking back at Chui and Zorillo. "Hey, come on, you two, we've got a big day ahead of us!"

The group started to walk, Chui piggy-back riding on Makunga while Zorillo walked along aside with the lions.

"So what do you think this place will be like Kunga?" the cub said, his fluffy tail wagging a bit. Makunga chuckled and looked up at the cub.

"Well, I'm sure that's there's going to be tall grass, full bushes, a lot of water…," Makunga listed down the things he thought was in the crater to Chui. Shani nearly giggled at how Chui was nearly hidden in Makunga mane. Zorillo picked some nuts here and there and began eating them as they went along.

"Hey, Makunga?" the polecat piped up, his cheeks stuff with nuts now. "How come your name means midwife?"

Makunga stopped there, a clear blush on his face. Chui and Shani looked at him for a moment, also curious of this now. Zorillo bumped into Makunga's leg and fell onto the ground. The male lion stood there, his face red, for a few minutes before walking on. "It's… kind of embarrassing…." He said.

"Why?" Shani asked, walking closer to him. Zorillo went to walk on the other side of Makunga, his ears perked up.

"It… it just is."

"Why?" Chui asked this time, looked at Makunga.

"… My mother used to be the pride's midwife," Makunga said after some time, his gaze set forward. Shani perked her ears at that. As far as she knew, the currant midwife of the reserve was a lioness named Rena, and it usually was something past onto mother to daughter… unless the current midwife didn't have a daughter. "And she wanted a girl," Makunga added, his eyes narrowing a bit. "Guess she got a big disappointment when I came."

Zorillo still looked confused. "Doesn't say why you got stuck with the name."

"Let's say my dad also had a cruel sense of humor."

Shani looked at him for a moment, her fur brushing against his as Chui stared at a butterfly that landed on Makunga's ear. "So… how did Rena..?"

"She's my … um... well _used to be_ my sister-in-law."

Everyone stared at Makunga. The lion just kept walking, Chui still on his back as his green eyes kept looking forward. "Say what now?" Zorillo said, in a tone that told Makunga that even Zorillo couldn't imagine him having a wife. Makunga sighed and at Chui down before turning to the standing lioness and polecat.

"Exactly how long will you be nagging me about this?"

"Until you tell us the whole story."

"Short or long?"

"Short please."

"My mother got disappointed that she wasn't getting a daughter, and all the rest of my siblings ended up being boys as well. My father wanted me to get married at a young age, so both he and my mother arranged me in a marriage with the daughter of a family friend. Ended up marring her if when I didn't want to, argued a lot with her, ended up having a son, which was another disappointment for my mother, and after I came back, I find out she left me and our son didn't want to do a dang thing with me," he said, everyone staring at him now.

Chui looked up at him, his green eyes looking up at him. "Is that way you always challenged Grandpa?" Makunga looked at the cub for a moment, but had to looked away quickly to avoid the guilt swelling up in himself.

"Pretty much. Knowing you turned out as the kid your parents didn't want isn't exactly…. Great," he said, grinding his teeth. Shani walked up to him, picked up Chui, and hugged Makunga with one arm.

"You don't have to go through that Makunga. You have us now," she said, Chui and Zorillo also joining in the hug. Makunga began to blush at the feeling of Shani's fur against his…. And felt something he never felt before. The lion backed away a bit and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Shouldn't… shouldn't we continue on going?"

"Yeah, why are we standing here for people, let's go and hit the road!" Zorillo said, skipping along the way. Shani smiled at Makunga and walked near him, Chui still in her arms.

…

Jasiri placed his paw on the ground and sniffed, taking in any scent he could get from the ground. The pale gold lion narrowed his eyes. Zuba wasn't kidding when he said that Makunga was with them. The red-eyed lion narrowed his eyes, a bit of his mane falling over them.

"Don't worry, Shani baby. You don't have to be influenced by that traitor once I manage to get you and Chui."

* * *

Me: ok… I want to tell something important about Jasiri…

Everyone: What?

Me: He IS seen in Madagascar 2.

*silence*

Alex: never mentioned him.

Me: ok, let me explain, actually you know what, I'll give you the link.

. 

ok, you see the lion with the big mane on the right? Just near that lioness poking her head out? The one with the light orange brown mane and light fur color? That's Jasiri. First male lion on the right of Makunga.

Marty: huh… never knew that.

Me: So... technically, I gave him the name, DreamWorks has his design.

Zorillo: This is the first time I think anyone has ever really taken a background character and made it into a character in a fanfic.

Me: I know right? I'm so proud of that! Ok, everyone, please review!


	6. Drabbles

I only own the OCs!

Leopard the Warrior of Africa

* * *

Annoyance and Laughter-

It was one of those things that Shani and Makunga could always agree on. Zorillo could be very annoying. It would sometimes be just a little, to very in a matter of minutes as well as offensive when Zorillo just kept talking. Right now, Makunga just couldn't help but laugh uncontrollably as he and Chui watched Shani chase Zorillo after the polecat commented on how Shani could be mistaken as her father's younger sister.

Father and son, hunting lessons-

Chui was most likely the most curious cub Makunga ever met, along with probably the most innocent as well. While at one of the resting stops, the adult male lion let the cub play with his tail before giving a small hunting lesson to the cub, Zorillo being the practice target as the polecat was trying to catch a butterfly.

"Ok, now, stay low to the ground," he said, placing Chui's tail directly on the ground from its previous position from being up in the air. Chui smiled deviously, his green eyes focused on Zorillo.

"Ok, stay to the ground, got it."

"Shh... not a sound," Makunga whispered, almost focused on Zorillo and looking back at Chui to make sure he was doing it right. "Ok, that's right. Now… just three more steps forward… lock onto the target. That's it. And... Now!"

"AAAHHHHHHHH!" Zorillo found himself face down in the mud, the brown leopon cub on his back. Shani came over from the close river and giggled at the sight before looking at Makunga.

"Was that really necessary, Makunga?"

Makunga smiled proudly taking the cub off of the polecat's back, literally. "Well… I have to teach my son hunting lessons as well." It took some minutes for Makunga to realize that he had called Chui his son, yet it seemed that when he tried to apologize, Chui said that he didn't mind him being his baba.

Strength-

If there was anything Shani had well noticed about Makunga when it came to appearance, his muscles were one of them. Even for his age, Makunga seemed to be a rather strong fighter, most likely would have been the second best fighter, since Zuba seemed to be the only one to beat him in a fight. Shani had never exactly known **how **strong Makunga was until they were found by, you guessed it, Jasiri.

It had been in the middle of the night, while at their fifth resting spot, when Zorillo woke up her and Makunga. "Someone's out there," he said, pointing outside the underbrush they were sleeping in. Makunga kept her and Chui, who soon then awoke a little bit dozy, as he tried to detect a sound. It seemed to have been almost an hour until the scent of Jasiri came, along with the sound of light footsteps. Chui clinged close to Shani, who in turn looked to Makunga in fear. Jasiri's paws could be seen just outside where they were, as if he was waiting for them to come out. It seemed just as they thought he was walking away, the lion suddenly looked into the underbrush and growled at Makunga.

Next thing Shani knew, Jasiri tried to make a grab for her and Chui, only to get Makunga out from the underbrush biting at him. Zorillo got in front of the lioness and her cub as the three watched in horror as the two males fought. Jasiri tried to pin Makunga down, only to have the older lion kick him back and claw and bite at his shoulders. All of the sudden, Makunga was knocked down by the younger lion, giving Jasiri the chance to try and get Shani and Chui.

"Run you three, Run!" Makunga had yelled out before beginning to fight the pale golden lion again. Zorillo, Shani, and Chui manage to get out from the underbrush and run off further up the past, Shani stopping to look back at Makunga before Zorillo tried to push her along.

The next morning, Shani had refused to continue without Makunga. She didn't know why exactly, but she wanted to continue the journey with him, never leaving him behind. That and Chui was starting to miss Makunga a great deal.

It was about twenty minutes, yet felts like hours, before any of them caught sight of Makunga, now with more serious wounds and scars that were bound to keep him from hunting anything. The rest of the day was then spent with Shani and Zorillo bandaging up the lion's wounds and Chui hugging onto him.

Nuzzles-

Ever since his fight with Jasiri, Makunga often woke up with nightmares of what had happened if Jasiri had succeeded in taking Shani and Chui back to the reserve. After one of these nightmares, he tried to get up, only to see Chui holding onto his leg while asleep.

"He really missed you after you told us to run." Makunga looked over to see Shani beside him, her emerald eyes filled with concern for him. Makunga tried to put up and smile as he looked back at the cub.

"I think that can be very obvious," he replied, trying to move his leg without waking the cub up. Shani smiled at him before placing her paw within his. Makunga looked down at it and then at her, a small blush seemingly appearing on his face. Next thing Makunga knew, Shani began nuzzling him.

"You really had us worried."

Adventurous-

For the next three days, Makunga couldn't help but notice how Shani explored the new environments they passed through. Once at another resting spot, she came back with some branches stuck to her fur after playing hide-and-seek with Chui. As Makunga helped her get the branches out from her fur, Shani seemed to have been blushing.

"I really need to stop being this adventurous."

Makunga looked down at her and smiled a bit as he smoothed out her fur tuff. "Actually, it kind of makes you cute, in my opinion."

Arrival-

Shani, Zorillo, Chui, and Makunga all looked in awe at the sight of the waterfall, the lush green grass, bushes, and trees, and the way almost everything looked peaceful in the crater they just entered. They didn't see anyone else however until they came right into the middle of it where the main waterhole was. And the sight of the pride amazed them even more.

Most of the members were of course lions, but here and there were leopons, ligers, tigons, liguars, lipards(female leopard and male lion hybrid), jaglions (lioness and male jaguar hybrids), liligers (lion and liger hybrids), and litigons (lion and tigon hybrids). It didn't take long for their presence to be known, most of the cubs looked eagerly at Chui as the four entered the crowd. Makunga noticed some of the males looking at Shani and felt the need to tear them to pieces. Soon the leader of the pride, a huge white litigon with red eyes walked up to them with a small reddish gold male leopon cub with a reddish brown mane tuff beside him.

"Well, I must say, I knew that some members of the reserve would want to join the pride, but I'd never thought that we would have the alpha lion's eldest daughter, her son, and the rival of the alpha lion to come and join," the leader said, staring them down as they looked at him in surprise.

"Um... well, then I guess we just made your day, sir," Shani said, a bit shocked that this litigon knew about them.

"Please, just call me Tau. And I suppose that your father knows of you three being here with a polecat?"

Makunga and Shani looked at each other at this. They knew that this question was more of asking if Zuba had agreed to this matter, not if Zuba knew his daughter and grand son had ran off with Makunga and Zorillo. "Um…."

"Runaways?" Tau asked, clearly reading their expressions carefully. "Well, I guess then it would explain your wounds then, sir. I'm guessing that he sent some one and you put up a good fight judging by those wounds." Makunga looked a bit uneasy at this. 'Is this guy a mind-reader or something?' he thought.

Chui then spoke up, looking up from behind Makunga's leg. "Mama wanted to come here so that I would stop being teased by the other cubs in the pride and Kunga and Rillo were helping us get here. Kunga got banish just a few weeks before him and Mama and Rillo's a good family friend, Mr. Tau, sir." Tau looked down the cub and then at Shani and Makunga. Shani felt herself blush before looking at Makunga again.

Makunga sighed and looked at Tau. "It's a bit of a long story, Tau. What Chui said is a bit of a summary." This seemed to amuse Tau as he sat down.

"I think the pride would like to hear it then."

* * *

Me: FINALLY, I HAD AN IDEA FOR ANOTHER CHAPTER!

Everyone: *looks at Me*

Me: sorry, stress.

Alex: okay…..

Chui: Everybody please review! ^^


	7. Life in the River Crater Pride

I only own OCs!

Leopard the Warrior of Africa

* * *

It seemed that after Makunga explained all that had happened to Shani, Zorillo, Chui, and himself, the pride seemed willingly to let them join. Chui even became friends with Tau's stepson, Kifaru, who was the small reddish gold leopon that had stood by the Crater Pride leader, and other cubs in the pride. Shani started to become friends with many of the lionesses, who also gave her hunting tips from a female point of view and who she could talk to about certain topics.

The most common friends Shani spent time with were Abebi (one who wards off), who was a golden tan liliger with brown eyes, Alala (dreamer), a pale yellow lipard with brown ear markings and grey eyes, and Swala (gazelle) a pale orange jaglioness with blue grey eyes who was Alala's cousin through the Alala's father and Swala's mother.

In Makunga's case, he also found a few friends, granted not as many friends like Chui, Shani, and Zorillo, who had made friends with the other polecats in the crater, but he still found some friends, two in fact actually.

One was Tembo (elephant), a rather large, grayish gnu/wildebeest with bright blue eyes who was a bit younger than Makunga by a few months. The other Mamba (crocodile), a young, king cheetah with golden who was rather careless and a bit of a daredevil.

The pride, as it seemed, had its den in a corner of the crater in the middle of a group of tall crowded trees and high rocks. Zorillo, despite not being a feline of any sort, was allowed to stay in the pride. Makunga, Chui, and Shani all shared the same den along with Zorillo.

At the moment though, a few weeks after the group of four joined the pride, the lionesses were all getting ready for the morning hunt, some of them gossiping and talking as others stretched out a few extra times. Shani, in her case, was talking to her friends when Abebi brought up a certain topic.

"Hey, have any of you heard of the celebration coming up soon? The one that the elephants are throwing for the start of the wet season?" the liliger said, trying to groom the back of her ears.

"Yeah, I heard about it a week ago and I'm still trying to get Blyds to ask me to it," Swala said, mentioning one of the male lions that the other three knew she was interested in. Shani and Alala looked at her in pity before Alala looked at Shani.

"What about you, Shani? You three know I'm bond to go with Zuberi," she said, looking at Shani in curiosity. The brown lioness of the group blushed, her mind thinking of a certain pale tan lion. "I think Sizwe has had his eyes on you, lately," Alala added, giving what she thought was a knowingly smile.

"Oh please, Alala. We all know that Shanika's going to ask her out in no hurry," Abebi said, interrupting Shani from speaking. Swala shook her head at the two others, implying her own opinion.

"Abebi, almost _**all **_the single males in the pride would try to ask Shani out in a hurry. You and Alala know that Shani's pretty much got the attention of most of them already."

Shani blushed again, feeling a bit uncomfortable at the thought of all the single males in the pride looking at her if they all asked her to come with them to the celebration at the same time. "A-act-actually, I was thinking about going with Makunga," she said, receiving some questionable looks from her friends.

"Makunga!?" Swala and Alala had both said that at the same time while Abebi seemed to be giving Shani a smirk. Shani blushed and looked around, hoping that none of the other lionesses had overheard them yet.

"Yeah. Makunga."

"Well, I don't see anything wrong with going to the celebration with him. I mean, what you think about him is your own opinion. Granted, he won't have been my first choice, but it's your decision, not mine," Abebi said, still having that smirk on her face.

"Well, I **do** see what's wrong with going with him. Shani, he's nearly old enough to be your own father. Doesn't that disturb you in anyway at all?" Swala said, her expression filled with confusion of the lioness's choice. Shani smiled a tiny bit, not answering the jaglioness's question.

"I agree with Swala. That and he is still technically your father's rival. Even if you're in a new pride, girl, there's still going to be some tension," Alala said, her expression questioning Shani's choice. The lioness rolled her green eyes, her head turning towards where the dens were.

"Thank you Abebi, for your support. Swala, Alala, you two never got to know Makunga during the trip he, Chui, Zorillo, and I took to get here. I mean, he was always nice to me, he, he loved spending time with me and Chui, heck even once called Chui his son. You wouldn't believe the way he took over as a father-figure for him. He defended the three of us from Jasiri…"

"Who was the very lion your father arranged a marriage with you without your opinion," Alala added, only to be hushed by Abebi.

"… I mean sure he does have his flaws, but really, once you get over them, he's a very nice guy and… and..."

"Ok, girls, come on, that prey isn't going to catch itself!" the lead lioness, called out, interrupting Shani. The four females looked at each other before joining the rest of the female on the hunt.

….

Makunga watched Chui carefully from where he, Zorillo, Tembo, and Mamba were as Chui played with Kifaru, and some of the other cubs. It would kind of be odd with a human was seeing this, since some of the other male lions of the pride were on the rocks opposite from where Makunga was with his three friends, but if someone was to know Makunga better, they would have known that, as still getting to know the pride, Makunga was keeping his distance until he could pinpoint a weak spot in the pride. Right now though, he was just making sure that Chui was safe as he played with the other cubs.

Mamba nudged Makunga a couple times before getting the lion's attention. "What is it Mamba?" the lion finally asked, still not taking his eyes off his "cub" and the others.

"I said, for the tenth time, who are you taking to the celebration this Thursday?" the cheetah said, crossing his arms as Zorillo was giving a knowledgeable grin towards Tembo. Makunga thought for a moment before answering.

"Shani."

Mamba gave him a confused and questioning stare while Tembo just looked at the lion in shock at the answer. "Um… you know that she's almost young enough to be your daughter, right?" Tembo said, Zorillo still grinning.

"Well, I think he and Shani would make a perfect couple! I see I've been trying to tell him all along, but he just wouldn't listen to me and-"

"Zorillo, shut up and you'll become Chui's next hunting practice target."

"I'll shut up."

Makunga stayed quite for the rest of the conversation, still receiving odd looks from Tembo and Mamba until the morning hunt came back, Shani carrying a gazelle towards him, Zorillo, and Chui. Settling down and after Makunga took the first bite of their own breakfast, the rest joined in. Chui soon tried to eat off of some part of Makunga's part of the meal before Makunga cut some part of it off and pushing towards the growing cub as he looked towards Shani.

….

Back at the reserve Jasiri was having his wounds treated by Melman and Joe while he told Zuba what had happened. During this, Zuba kept his eyes close in a disappointed expression as his ears twitched at every word the younger lion said.

"And when I tried to go back, there were some hunters camping just off to the side, so I had to go back to where I could go through the jungles. Had to make sure I didn't get shot at by any hunters, so it took me longer to get here. I have no doubt, Zuba, that they're probably now at the Crater Pride, I'm planning on going there to get them, this time with back up," Jasiri said, his red eyes seeming to be burning in anger at his own failure.

"Well, I'll tell you one thing, Makunga did seem to put up a fight," Joe said, making Jasiri quench as the giraffe lifted his arm. Zuba was quite for a moment before opening his eyes.

"Take Teetsi and Azubuike with you. Teetsi has a somewhat chance to talk to Makunga while both he and Azubuike can help you in another fight with him," he said, adding, "And when you come back with Shani and Chui, I **don't** want to see anything wrong that happened on either!"

….

Makunga rubbed the back of his neck the next morning as he approached Shani just as the lionesses were getting ready.

"-And so I tell her, 'Girl, if you want my advice, just ask him first, nothing's wrong with it.' And yet she says," Alala was saying before she and Abebi noticed Makunga. Swala and Shani then looked, Swala crossing her arms while Shani gave a bit of a smile.

"Hello Makunga," she said, her smile towards him making the male lion feel like his legs were made out of wood. Makunga tried to put up a smile and rubbed to back of his neck again.

"Hey, Shani. Um...You know, with Thursday being three days away... and the celebration being then, I was wondering if… you um, wanted to go with- mmm?" Makunga's eyes widen as Shani kissed him before the lioness pulled back.

"I'd be happy to go with you," She said, despite the shocked looks Swala and Alala gave her as Makunga looked like his birthday came early.

* * *

Me: *looks at Makunga* Should I even ask?

Makunga: no…. I'm still loving that moment. *is grinning*

Me: *rolls eyes* Everyone just Review!


End file.
